


Taking the (E)L Train

by machtaholic (cinderella81)



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Character Death Fix, Comfort, Deus Ex Machina, Fix-It, Greek gods, M/M, Season/Series 04, Time Travel, boys being soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 06:41:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19145608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderella81/pseuds/machtaholic
Summary: “You were supposed to have a long, long life,” Apollo said.  “But then you went and did something stupid.  But, you totes did us gods a favor, so we’re going to give one back. Give you a kind of do-over.”Quentin is given a second chance to get it right.A Season 4 Finale Fix it Fic.





	Taking the (E)L Train

The metro card felt like a ten pound weight in Quentin’s hand as he left Penny!40, stepped through the door and arrived at what looked like a very clean, very empty subway platform. Quentin glanced around, taking in the black and white subway tile, the benches scattered across the platform, the blank sign hanging near the tracks that would normally list the trains.

Quentin stared down at the metro card in his hand for another minute before finding a bench and sitting down. 

‘This will take you where you need to go.’

Penny!40’s words echoed in Quentin’s head. Where did he need to go? Quentin had no idea. He thumped his head against the wall behind him as he tried to figure it out.

“Dude!”

Quentin had long since lost track of time and he blinked when he saw someone coming down the steps into the subway station. Quentin heard the slapping of flip flops on the steps first, then frowned when he saw the man reach the landing; the man wore board shorts, a white tank top and a seashell necklace. With a golden tan, shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes, the man looked like every stereotype of a surfer Quentin had ever read.

“Dude, your melancholy was harshing my mellow while I was shredding some serious waves in SoCal!”

“Um, sorry?” Quentin said.

“Haven’t you figured out where you need to be, bro?”

Quentin frowned and stared up at the man. “Um … no.”

The man sighed. “Zeus’ balls,” he said. “Okay dude, close your eyes. Seriously, close your eyes.”

Quentin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Stop thinking with this.”

Quentin jumped when the man tapped his forehead.

“And think with this.”

Quentin stilled when he felt the man tap his heart.

“Stop trying to think about where you need to be,” the man said. “And just … feel it, bro.”

Quentin sighed and took a few deep breaths, allowed his mind to drift, his body to relax. Suddenly he was back in Fillory, back at … the Mosaic. He could feel a slight chill in the air, could hear laughter, and was suddenly awash in the scent of -

“Peaches,” Quentin gasped. “Peaches and plums, peaches and plums. Eliot!”

“Exactly!”

“But, I’m dead,” Quentin whispered, opening his eyes and staring up at the man.

“So? Small hiccup,” the man said. “I can fix that, easy.”

“You can bring me back to life?” Quentin asked.

“In a way. I can send you back, back to when you were alive.”

“How?”

“I ride the sun, bro. Why can’t I just ride it backwards?” the man said.

“You’re … Apollo,” Quentin said.

“Yeah, dude,” Apollo said. “Listen, you did all us gods, the ones still alive, a total solid. You and your group of friends. And sure, you totally died a hero’s death, but bro you died way too early.”

Quentin blinked up at Apollo, still trying to process everything.

“Too early?”

“You were supposed to have a long, long life,” Apollo said. “But then you went and did something stupid. But, you totes did us gods a favor, so we’re going to give one back. Give you a kind of do-over.”

“Give one back,” Quentin said. He watched as Apollo dug into the pocket of his board shorts and came back with a necklace bearing a sundial pendant and four beads.

“Take this,” Apollo said. “You can change four things, got it? But the end result still has to be the same - those two gods still have to go into the Seam, got it? Or this is all for shit.”

Quentin took the necklace and rubbed one of the beads between his fingers. 

“Four things,” Quentin repeated.

“Yep,” Apollo said. “Four things. Each time you change something one of those beads disappears. All four beads gone? All your chances are gone. So bro? Use them wisely.”

Quentin swallowed and nodded. “Got it,” he said.

“Well then, now to get you back,” Apollo said. “A train is going to show up in a few minutes - the L train. Take if three, no four, take it four stops south.”

“The L train, four stops south, got it,” Quentin replied. 

“And remember, four things, bro,” Apollo said. “And the end result has to be the same - the two gods still have to go into the Seam.”

“Got it,” Quentin said. “Got it.”

“All right, bro,” Apollo said. “Four stops south, four beads, four choices. Travel safe, dude.”

And then he was gone.

Quentin glanced around, stunned at what had just happened. He slipped the necklace around his neck, feeling the sundial pendant sit against his sternum, warm even though it was made of silver. He walked closer to the edge of the platform and waited for the train. While he waited, he pondered the four beads, the four things he could change. 

By the time the train arrived and the doors opened, Quentin knew the four things he would change.

Quentin stepped inside, tapped the car on the little stand just inside the door, then sat down and waited for the train to move.

To take him back.

*****

“ … Popper 22 to unlock. Don’t put your hand in there, temperature is at absolute zero. Should slow her down a bit. Go.”

Quentin gave himself a mental shake as he found himself in the Brakebills hospital wing. He nodded and started to follow Alice to Fogg’s office but then the sundial pendant suddenly felt … warmer, like a reminder. He left Alice’s side and raced back to the room where Julia was.

“... Still, the Binder replied, stating the obvious to the strident female, someone needed to choose for Julia.”

Quentin slid to a stop just inside the door.

“Mr. Coldwater,” Professor Lipson said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help,” Quentin said, then turned to Penny. "Penny, you are a traveller and can fucking read minds! Just go into Julia's mind and, I don't know, ask her!"

Quentin felt the pendant warm again and almost pulse and knew one of his beads had disappeared.

"Quentin Coldwater, the Binder said, had the answer to Julia Wicker's question. The Binder also knew that time had changed."

Quentin tried not to wilt under The Binder’s knowing stare and Professor Lipson’s confused look.

“Mr. Coldwater care to elaborate?” Professor Lipson asked.

Quentin shuffled his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to decide what all he could in good conscience say about his own personal quest, but -

“Goddess!” Penny suddenly yelled, making Quentin jump. “Julia said goddess.”

“And Goddess she will be, The Binder said as he rolled up his proverbial sleeves and set to work. The journey will be long, but The Binder was pleased to put Julia Wicker on her path.”

Quentin sighed; one choice down.

*****

Quentin found it was pretty hard to keep from speaking up, from changing everything. He knew certain things had to happen a certain way.

The conversation with Julia went the same, yet different. She still told Quentin about the plan to kill all the old gods and eradicate everyone in some sort of nuclear winter. Julia still had the scroll, but it seemed to spark in her hand, so Quentin grabbed it before something else changed that Quentin hadn’t planned on and he lost a bead.

He and Josh still had their encounter with the Monster, and Josh still transported them via the scroll to that office with the asshole who was late to this tee time and told them about the Seam and gave them the absolutely fantastic cake.

Seriously, it was fucking fantastic cake. Cake was forever ruined for Quentin.

Quentin stood through the whole conversation regarding the plan and calling on the hedge witches without piping up and telling everyone that it would work. He practically bit his lip to keep his secrets, knowing he still had three beads to use.

“Hey Q, can we talk a second?”

Quentin turned and gave Alice a small smile. “Um, yeah,” he said.

“I’ve been thinking,” Alice said.

“Me too,” Quentin said. “About a couple of things.” He sat down on the stairs and motioned for Alice to join him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Quentin said. “I think you and Penny should go to the mirror world together. You don’t need me there to put the bottles in the Seam.” He felt the pendant warm and pulse and knew another bead had disappeared.

“Are you sure?” Alice asked.

“Yeah,” Quentin said with a firm nod. “And, well, I love you Alice. I always will, and I want you in my life but … I don’t think we should be together.” The pendant warmed and pulsed again.

“What?”

“Alice,” Quentin said gently, “I think you need to find your own path; you need to figure out who you are on your own.”

He watched Alice for a few minutes, watching as Alice processed what Quentin had said.

“You’re right,” Alice said finally. “I need to find my own way. But, after we save Eliot.”

“Right, after we save Eliot,” Quentin replied.

“All right people, let’s do this! If you need to touch butts, make it quick! We’ve got a multiverse to save,” Margo said as she passed the staircase.

“How does she know our thing?” Alice asked.

Quentin laughed softly, smiling when Alice joined in.

“Okay, we’re doing this,” Julia said. “I’m going to stay here and help with the Incorporate Bond.”

“This is gonna work,” Quentin said. “I mean, knock on me, but it’s going to work.” He turned and offered everyone his wooden shoulder, smiling when everyone gave his shoulder a knock before they all headed for their specific location. Even Penny grudgingly gave his shoulder a knock.

“Let’s go,” Penny said.

“One thing before we go,” Quentin said, putting his hand on Penny’s shoulder. “And don’t ask me how I know this. Everett knows what we’re doing. He’s going to try to stop you and Alice in the mirror world. Tell Alice to run like hell and you guard the door while she does. You cannot do magic there, but we both know you can keep Everett busy while Alice does what she needs to do.”

The pendant warmed and pulsed again and Quentin knew the last bead had disappeared, that he’d used his four choices.

Now Quentin just had to hope everything else went right.

“Guys! Let’s go!” Margo called.

“I won’t ask how you know,” Penny said solemnly. “I got this.”

“Good,” Quentin said. “Let’s go.”

Everything with the Monster went just the way it had before. As Quentin and Penny kept the Monster distracted, Margo moved into position and hit the Monster in the stomach with Sorrow. The god was released and flew into the bottle. Quentin waited for Penny to send the message for everyone to start the Incorporate Bond, then the two of them cast, and cast, and cast until the Bond took.

While they cast, Margo yelled at Eliot to stay with them.

Quentin fought his nerves as he continued to cast. What if all the changes didn’t work? What if they got rid of the Monster and his sister, but lost Eliot?

“Eliot, if there is a tunnel with Grandma, tell her to piss off and come back to me, you selfish fuck!” Margo yelled. “Get back here, Eliot. Eliot!”

Quentin held his breath when he heard Eliot speak.

“Well, when you put so sweetly, Bambi, hmmm?” Eliot’s voice was like a breath of fresh air and Quentin almost started sobbing.

“We need to get him back to Brakebllls,” Quentin said. “Now.”

*****

Quentin tried to keep from hyperventilating as he ran with Margo down the halls of Brakebills, line with students doing the Incorporate Bond, Eliot on a gurney with Professor Lipson and one of her students with her.

“Do something, please!” Margo yelled.

“They need all the ambient magic for those bottles,” Professor Lipson replied.

“What is the point of being a magician if you can’t use it?”

Quentin could see that Margo was on the verge of ripping Professor Lipson a literal new one.

“Before I was a magician I was a trauma surgeon; I'm perfectly capable of saving him the old-fashioned way,” Professor Lipson said. “If you need to cry, go outside.”

Quentin caught Margo just as Professor Lipson pushed Eliot into a treatment room.

“Come on,” Quentin said. “We’ll help with the Incorporate Bond while we wait.”

So he and Margo stood in the hall with the other students and cast. And cast. And cast. Quentin could feel his hands cramping, his arms tiring out, but he didn’t care. He just. Kept. Casting.

And he felt it. The moment both bottles made it into the Seam. It felt like a huge sigh of relief and Quentin nearly fell against the wall as a wave of pure magic rippled down the halls of Brakebills.

“That was intense,” Margo said.

“Yeah,” Quentin agreed.

“So, wanna tell me about it?” Margo asked.

“About what?”

“All right, keep your secrets. For now.”

“Margo? Quentin?” Professor Lipson stepped out into the hallway, wiping her hands clean.

“How is he?” Quentin asked.

“Serious, but stable condition,” Professor Lipson said.

Quentin wanted to cry from both exhaustion and happiness, but managed to keep the tears at bay.

“I’m going to give it a bit before I try any spells,” Professor Lipson continued. “But I predict Eliot will make a full recovery.”

“Fuck.”

Quentin jumped when he suddenly found himself with an armful of Margo. He recovered quickly and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug.

“Want to go clean up or get a nap or -”

“If you think I’m leaving here until Eliot wakes up, you got another thing coming,” Margo said. “Come on, come keep me company.”

Quentin and Margo sat on each side of Eliot’s bed, keeping quiet vigil as he slept. As he recovered.

Slowly their friends started drifting in. Julia was first, followed shortly by Kady. They dragged in chairs and took up vigil as well. A little while later, Alice and Penny showed up.

“Where’s Everett?” Quentin asked, frowning a bit when Alice and Penny shared a look.

“He may have, um, tripped,” Alice said. “During the struggle.”

“Tripped?” Quentin asked.

“Yep,” Penny said. “Fucker tripped over his own feet and fell right into the Seam.”

A fitting end.

“So, can anyone else feel it?” Julia asked.

“Feel what?” Kady asked.

“The magic,” Julia said.

“I can,” Alice said.

“Me too,” Quentin replied. “It’s like getting rid of the Monster and his sister, maybe even getting rid of Everett, opened everything up.”

“Nifty.”

Quentin turned at the sound of Eliot’s voice. He barely dared to breathe as he watched Eliot’s eyes flutter open, waited while Eliot’s gaze focused and found him.

“Q,” Eliot said, “you cut your hair.”

Quentin blushed and rubbed his neck as everyone snickered softly.

“Um, yeah,” Quentin replied, scooting a bit closer.

“‘s nice. I like it,” Eliot said, then frowned. “No more yanky.”

Quentin covered his face in embarrassment.

“El, did you mean to say that out loud?”

“Yep.” Eliot popped the p at the end and gave Quentin a silly smile.

“Did you know that all of our friends are here?” Quentin asked, hands still covering his face. He peeked out from them to see Eliot loll his head to the side and smile at everyone.

“Hi guys,” Eliot said happily, flinging an arm out to point at Quentin. “Did you know Q cut his hair?”

Quentin took stock of the situation and sighed; Margo was cry-laughing in her chair, hands over her face. Julia was half on the floor laughing so hard she couldn’t catch her breath and Kady, almost doubled over with laughter herself, seemed to be making sure Julia wasn’t dying. Alice stood near the door wearing a contemplative look on her face, as if realizing that it wasn’t just a her and Quentin thing. And Penny … looked bored to death.

“Yeah man, we know,” Penny replied. “Got you on the good stuff, huh?”

“The best!” Eliot replied.

Quentin watched as Margo seemed to compose herself and stand up. She adjusted her top, then leaned in to press a kiss to Eliot’s forehead.

“No popping stitches or I’ll pop you, got it?” Margo murmured.

“Aw Bambi, you’re no fun,” Eliot pouted. “But if you insist.”

“Be careful or I’ll take Q away,” Margo threatened.

“You wouldn’t,” Eliot gasped.

“Watch me,” Margo said, then moved around the bed to hug Quentin. “Same goes for you, got it? He pops stitches, I pop you.”

“Got it,” Quentin said.

“All right everyone, scram! Give the lovebirds some non-sexual alone time,” Margo yelled.

Quentin knew he was blushing as everyone said goodbye and left him and Eliot alone.

“We’re going to have a talk about the journey you went on, Q,” Julia said solemnly. 

“I know,” Quentin said. “I’ll tell everyone about it.”

“You’d better,” Julia said, patting Quentin on the shoulder before heading out, leaving Eliot and Quentin alone.

“I was so fucking scared,” Quentin whispered. “I mean, I knew you’d make it, but I was still so scared.”

“Was touch and go there for a while,” Eliot mumbled. “But I’m here. Don’t plan on going anywhere. Literally. Not going anywhere. Can’t move.”

Quentin chuckled softly. “Well, you shouldn’t just yet,” he said, taking a moment to brush a bit of hair off Eliot’s forehead.

“He might be able to soon.”

Quentin turned to see Professor Lipson step into the room.

“What do you mean?” Quentin asked.

“I had been letting the magic settle a bit before attempting it, but I can do a healing spell,” Professor Lipson said. “And Eliot will be able to return to the Physical Kids cottage.”

“Well, heal me up, doc,” Eliot said.

“He’s still on pain meds,” Quentin said.

“Clearly,” Professor Lipson replied dryly as she moved to stand next to Eliot’s bed, cracking her knuckles. “Quentin, let go of Eliot and step back a bit - this spell uses a bit of juice.”

Quentin reluctantly let go of Eliot and stepped back a bit, watching Professor Lipson cast her spell.

“Fuck!” Eliot yelled.

“Sorry, did I forgot to say it might sting a bit?” Professor Lipson said. “I also took the liberty of sobering you up.”

“Thanks,” Eliot muttered.

“Well, you’re free to go,” Professor Lipson said. “Feel free to let yourself out.”

Quentin shook his head as Professor Lipson left, then looked back at Eliot with a smile. 

“Ready to go back?” Quentin asked.

“No,” Eliot said.

“No?” Quentin moved to sit on the side of the bed. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“No,” Eliot said. “No pain. But before we go back and we’re bombarded or we fall back into our old routines, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Quentin reached for Eliot’s hand, watching as Eliot sat up and rearranged himself so he was sitting next to Quentin, slightly facing him..

“Okay,” Quentin said, turning a bit so he was facing Eliot.

“Q, I -”

Quentin suddenly found himself being kissed quite sweetly and gently by Eliot. When the kiss finally broke, Quentin pulled back to watch Eliot for a moment, who wore a knowing smirk, before leaning in and giving Eliot a second kiss.

“I was afraid. Afraid of getting something good and fucking it up. And when I’m afraid I run away,” Eliot said when Quentin broke the second kiss. “Good things scare the shit out of me, Q. And you? You are so good.”

“Yeah?” Quentin said.

“Yeah,” Eliot said. “And … if you’re still willing, I’d like to try.”

“Try?” Quentin whispered.

“Us,” Eliot said. “We work. We know because we lived it. I mean, you said it first - who gets that kind of proof of concept?”

Quentin reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind Eliot’s ear.

“Yes,” Quentin said, smiling when Eliot gave a little laugh.

“I don’t know if I’ll be as good at us here,” Eliot said.

“I think you will,” Quentin said. “We will. We’ll work.”

“Peaches and plums, motherfucker,” Eliot said.

“Peaches and plums,” Quentin whispered. “So, if you’re feeling up to it, we should probably get back to the Physical Kids cottage and take a shower or a bath or something.”

“Are you saying I smell, Q?” Eliot asked.

“As your boyfriend I am obligated to say you smell lovely,” Quentin said with a mischievous smile.

“Boyfriend, huh?” Eliot said “Well, I do feel less than fresh so perhaps a bath would be nice.”

Quentin climbed off the bed and offered Eliot a hand, smiling when Eliot took Quentin’s hand and carefully climbed off the bed, stretching carefully as if to test Professor Lipson’s spell.

“Feel okay?” Quentin asked.

“Peachy,” Eliot replied with a smile. “Almost like new.”

“Almost, huh?” Quentin said as he stood up on his toes and gave Eliot a kiss.

“Give me a bath and you in my bed and I’ll be perfect,” Eliot said.

“Aw you are a romantic,” Quentin said, squeezing Eliot’s hand as he led the way from the hospital wing through Brakebills and over to the Physical Kids cottage.

“Don’t go spreading it around,” Eliot said.

“My lips are sealed,” Quentin said as they reached the front door of the cottage.

“Good,” Eliot said. “Now, before we go inside, here’s the plan. Do not make eye contact, do not talk to anyone. Because if you do, we’ll get sidetracked and have to talk and all I want is a bath and you in my bed as soon as possible.”

“No talking, no eye contact, got it,” Quentin said. He turned the knob, let him and Eliot inside and laughed as Eliot practically dragged him up the stairs. He could hear Margo and Julia yelling, but properly ignore them. 

“Success,” Eliot said once he and Quentin were in Eliot’s room.

“Success,” Quentin agreed.

“Let us retire to the en suite bathroom where I can get in a good soak,” Eliot said. 

Quentin laughed and followed Eliot to the bathroom, where he stood in the doorway and stared.

“Have I seen your en suite bathroom before? Because I don’t think I have,” Quentin said. The bathroom in question was HUGE with a separate shower and a soak tub with a skylight above both the soak tub and a vanity with sunlight streaming through.

“A few well placed spells,” Eliot said as he began to run the bathwater. “We can either have moonlight or sunlight.”

Quentin stared up at the skylights for a couple of moments. “Um, moonlight,” he whispered. “Moonlight.”

“Done.”

Quentin glanced over and watched Eliot’s fingers, smiling when the sunlight turned to moonlight. When Quentin really looked, he blushed a bit when he realized Eliot was naked.

“I’m overdressed,” Quentin mumbled.

“And blushing,” Eliot said. “Nothing you haven’t seen before, Q.”

“It’s been a while,” Quentin replied.

“Too long,” Eliot whispered. “Care to join me? I promise the tub is big enough. Not that I wouldn’t mind that handmade tub back at the Mosaic.”

“You mean the tub that barely fit me, much less me and you?” Quentin said.

“The very one,” Eliot said as he stepped into the tub and settled in the water. “Please Q? Join me?”

Quentin nodded and stripped down, tossing his clothes into the pile with Eliot’s before climbing into the tub and sitting behind Eliot.

“This is new,” Eliot said.

“I want to take care of you,” Quentin whispered, cupping water over Eliot’s hair.

“I like that,” Eliot replied.

Quentin smiled and hummed softly as he took care of Eliot, first by washing and conditioning his hair, then by helping Eliot wash away the scent of death and mayhem left by the Monster. 

“I know that tune,” Eliot whispered.

“Hmmm?” Quentin hummed, running fingers through Eliot’s hair as Eliot rested his head on Q’s chest.

“You used to sing it to Teddy to help him sleep,” Eliot murmured.

“I did,” Quentin replied softly. “Ready to get out of the bath?”

“Only if we go straight to bed,” Eliot said.

“We’ll dry your hair first, then bed,” Quentin said. “Deal?”

“Deal,” Eliot mumbled as he pulled the drain and stood, stretching languidly before climbing out of the tub and wrapping a towel around his waist.

Quentin watched Eliot for a few minutes, enjoying the ripple of Eliot’s muscles and the water that glistened on his skin, before climbing out of the tub and briskly drying himself off.

“Going to sit at the vanity?” Quentin asked.

“But of course,” Eliot said as he did just that.

“Could see if I remember how to french braid like Arielle taught us,” Quentin said as he stood behind Eliot and smiled at him in the mirror.

“Would hate to wake up to tangled hair,” Eliot replied

Quentin pressed a kiss to the top of Eliot’s head before reaching for the comb and gently working the tangles from Eliot’s hair. He hummed softly as he worked, first with the comb, then with his fingers, gently braiding Eliot’s hair back and securing the end with a hair tie.

“All done,” Quentin whispered, smiling at Eliot in the mirror.

“Perfect,” Eliot said as he stood and dropped his towel on the floor. “Let’s get to bed.”

Quentin chuckled and nodded, dropping his towel next to Eliot’s and following Eliot to the bedroom. Bed turned down, Quentin climbed in and smiled when Eliot climbed in after him and practically wrapped himself around Quenting.

“Q,” Eliot said after a few minutes.

“Hmmm?”

“Tell me,” Eliot said. 

“Hmm?” Quentin hummed and turned his head to look at Eliot.

“Tell me the story,” Eliot murmured.

Quentin smiled and leaned in, giving Eliot a sweet kiss.

“Once upon a time there were two men. It had been written in the stars that they would be together, but destiny is bullshit and the mortal world strove to keep them apart ... this is the story of how the gods intervened to give them a second chance ...”


End file.
